Permanent Ban On Street Vendors Appears Likely

October 3, 1985|By Gary Enos, Staff Writer

CORAL SPRINGS — A permanent ban on the sale of merchandise from public streets as of Nov. 5 appears inevitable, but an attorney for one vendor would like the city to consider bringing the vendors back at a later date.

Sam Goren, attorney for a frozen dessert company, addressed the City Commission on Tuesday prior to its approval of an ordinance that would remove all vendors from city streets after a moratorium on vendors expires next month.

Goren, who has worked closely with city officials since a series of four traffic accidents that occurred near a parked ice cream truck, asked commissioners to include a provision for a later review of the ban.

``This would give yourselves the opportunity to review the situation,`` Goren told the commission.

Commissioner Jim Gordon, an outspoken critic of vendors, was not convinced by Goren`s argument. ``We always have an ability to change the laws . . . and the option is always open to have you approach the commission,`` Gordon told the attorney.

The commission approved the vendor ban, without a review provision, on a 4-0 vote, with Commissioner Helen Tache absent from the meeting. The second and final vote on the ordinance will take place on Nov. 5.

Some members of a large audience at Tuesday`s meeting said that careless motorists in Coral Springs were to blame for the four accidents involving children that have occurred since June.

``(Commissioners) are using the vendors as scapegoats. They just happened to be there at the wrong place at the wrong time,`` said resident Daniel Munz, whose wife once drove a vending truck for Jolly Joe`s Ice Cream.

Jolly Joe`s vehicles were at the scene of two of the four accidents, including one in which a 5-year-old boy was killed in the parking lot of a Coral Springs condominium.

Munz also wondered why the driver of a Lincoln Continental has not been cited in the accident 10 days ago that left 5-year-old Kevin Miller of Coral Springs with head injuries and a broken arm. Miller was released from Plantation General Hospital on Tuesday.

In other business, the commission:

(BU) Awarded a $195,000 contract for renovations to the former Morrison`s Cafeteria across from City Hall to Bacile Construction, Inc. of Fort Lauderdale.

The city purchased the Morrison`s building last summer for $1.18 million to help relieve a shortage of office space at City Hall. Officials hope to move two city departments across the street by January.

Bacile Construction submitted the lowest of 12 bids for the project.

(BU) Asked city attorneys to draft an ordinance that would require smoke detectors in all buildings that contain sleeping areas, including private homes.

The ordinance would be modeled after one adopted by the Broward County Commission last June, which requires building owners to install the detectors in all existing structures.

Commissioner Ed Heafy questioned whether the city could enforce the ordinance with respect to homeowners. ``I don`t think we should have the right to go into private homes and cite people,`` Heafy said.